740.00119 Control (Italy)/10–1245: Telegram
The Chargé in the United Kingdom (Gallman) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 13—6:15 a.m.]
10685. In view of presumptive delay in completing Italian peace treaty FonOff is again studying problem of relaxing armistice regime. It shares our view that many provisions which have become obsolete or inoperative should be cancelled. Principal difficulty, according to Hoyer Millar,77 is to find method of doing so which will not give Russians excuse for cancelling clauses they do not like in Balkan [Page 1064] armistices. It is feared that to discuss revision of the Italian armistice with the Russians would bring immediate proposals for revision of such clauses in Rumanian and Bulgarian armistices as those relating to demobilization and disarmament. On the other hand any Anglo-American steps toward this end taken independently of the Russians would afford them a convenient pretext for similar unilateral action in the Balkans, Hoyer Millar says FonOff has so far been unable to find any satisfactory answer.
Sent Department as 10685, repeated Caserta 138.
- Frederick Hoyer Millar, Head of Western Department, British Foreign Office.↩